The National Assembly rejected President Rumen Radev’s request to hold a referendum on whether Bulgaria should adopt the euro in 2026. After a tense and repeatedly interrupted session, deputies voted down the proposal with 135 votes against, 81 in favor and three abstentions. The vote closed a long and often chaotic dispute that began in May, when the president unexpectedly submitted the referendum question despite the advanced stage of Bulgaria’s preparations for joining the eurozone on January 1, 2026.

The proposal reached the plenary only after the Constitutional Court ruled that former speaker Nataliya Kiselova had violated the Constitution by blocking the procedure earlier this year. The new speaker, Raya Nazaryan, allowed the matter to proceed and assigned it to four parliamentary committees to prepare for discussion. Today’s debate was initiated by the "Revival" party, which used its procedural right to place it on the agenda of the first Wednesday of the month.

The session stalled repeatedly because the presidential administration did not send a representative to present the reasons for the referendum. Deputies took several recesses while Nazaryan attempted to contact the president’s office, but no one responded. When the hall reconvened, the speaker announced that parliament could not wait indefinitely and would move to debate without the president’s input.

Opposition reactions were sharp. "Revival", "Greatness" and MECH defended holding a referendum, arguing that citizens deserved the final say. Angel Slavchev claimed that Bulgaria’s eurozone application relied on misleading National Statistical Institute data. During the debate, "Revival" deputies stood before the rostrum with a banner reading "Refererendum for the lev, no to the euro." Nazaryan ordered them to remove it, reminding them that such displays are prohibited in the chamber.

"We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC–DB) strongly opposed the initiative, repeating its long-held view that such a referendum is unconstitutional. MP Yordan Ivanov criticized the president for failing to send a representative, calling it disrespectful to parliament. He also accused "Revival" of misleading citizens when gathering signatures earlier this year. The ruling majority, composed of GERB, DPS-New Beginning, BSP-United Left and TISP, largely kept its distance. Only TISP supported the referendum, consistent with the party’s frequent backing of national polls.

The final vote reflected these divisions. GERB, DPS-New Beginning, WCC-DB, BSP-United Left and most smaller groups rejected the proposal. Support came from "Revival", TISP, MECH, APS and "Greatness". One BSP MP also voted in favor. The decision will now be published in the State Gazette.

Radev’s written justification, which deputies had to consider in the absence of a presidential representative, argued that adopting the euro requires broad public consensus. According to the president, citizens have the right to decide on issues affecting their income and personal finances, and a referendum would strengthen democracy by allowing open debate. His proposal came shortly before the European Commission was expected to deliver a positive assessment enabling Bulgaria to join the eurozone from January 1, 2026.

Although parliament has now rejected both the president’s initiative and Revival’s earlier attempt to call a referendum on the euro, the political tension around the topic remains high. Disputes inside the hall continued even after the vote, including exchanges between WCC–DB deputies and Revival over the lev, the euro and Russia’s ruble. For the moment, however, the eurozone transition remains on track, and with today’s vote, the idea of a referendum appears conclusively blocked.